MHAHS launches new multilingual video Are you living with hepatitis C? A cure is available

A new video has been launched in Sydney Australia to educate people from diverse communities about hepatitis C testing and treatment.

Developed by the MHAHS, the new video is part of the Live free of hepatitis C campaign aimed to provide diverse communities with information about the benefits of testing for hepatitis C and the new treatment’s which cure it, according to Renée Moreton, Acting General Manager of Population Health, Sydney Local Health District who launched the campaign.

“It’s an exciting and challenging time to be working in the area of hepatitis C with the advent of breakthroughs in the treatment of hepatitis C.  The new treatments mean that people can be cured of hepatitis C with little or no side effects.  The Live free of hepatitis C campaign aims to raise awareness of hepatitis C, the importance of testing and the availability of a cure among Arabic-, Chinese-speaking and Vietnamese communities.

The videos feature real people sharing their story about living with hepatitis C, undertaking treatment and being cured. They also debunk common myths about hepatitis C.

While the new treatments continue to dramatically reshape the hepatitis C landscape in Australia, challenges remain to make the health system more responsive to the needs of all people including those from diverse cultural backgrounds, according to Senior Staff Specialist at the AW Morrow Gastro and Liver Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Associate Professor Simone Strasser.

“We have now treated almost a quarter of all people living with hepatitis C nationally. But there are big gaps. About 20% of people living with hepatitis C in Australia have got it from ways other than injecting drug use. It could have been from an operation, or blood products, a procedure, a dental treatment, or tattoo in their country of birth where non-sterile techniques were used. And that is a very, very common scenario in people from migrant communities living with hepatitis C here."

“We need to get the message out that testing for hepatitis C is just a simple blood test. If you think you could possibly have it, get a blood test. If you’ve got it, you can have 8 to 12 weeks of tablets and get cured. So, it is a really, really important message”.

Visit Live free of hepatitis C campaign page for multilingual posters, wallet cards, and videos.